MC won't start

btilghman · Post by **btilghman** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:09 pm

Hello, All. Just bought a 1952 MC which we drove on and off the trailer, and puttered with a bit, but now I can't keep it running. Get a few pops, from two to about 6, and then it quits.

Comfortable around engines of all sorts, but new to these (love em). I can't tell if I have a spark issue, or the carburetor needs work, or both. I know the carb is kind of sloppy and I have a rebuild kit, but wondering about the coil. Plugs are wet when I pull them. Are these things sensitive to flooding? Also noticed the ignition switch seemed intermittent but tried bypassing that without success.

How in the world do you get the battery out without taking off the gas tank?

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Ben, in Maryland

Post by **Lavoy** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:14 pm

Sounds like an ignition problem, guessing you will find something wrong there.
I am assuming you can't get the battery door off to take the battery out? If so, someone has put an M door on the crawler. Unbolt the hinge at the dash, and slide the battery out.
Lavoy

btilghman · Post by **btilghman** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:27 pm

Thanks, Lavoy. Got some ignition parts on the way. The battery door is a mystery. Seems like I ought to be able to slide the shaft out of the hinge but it won't budge. I'll unbolt it and go from there.

These things are a hoot.

Post by **Lavoy** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 8:55 pm

I might have screwed up here. If you have the correct battery door, hit on the top of the door when it is open with your hand, and it should pop off. The hinge is a two piece affair that is designed to unhook.
Lavoy

btilghman · Post by **btilghman** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 8:52 am

Lavoy, Door popped right off. Thanks.

monzanick · Post by **monzanick** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 6:33 pm

I just resurrected my 50 mc after it was sitting for about 20 years. we got an ignition "kit" cap/rotor coil,points an condensor. I literally just slapped 'em in. I didn't adjust points as far as gap/dwell an it fired right up! we went thru putting in new plugs, wires, cap/rotor/coil/condensor an lastly when the points were changed it turned over 2 times an it was running. funny thing was how it spun over. when the spark stuff was poor- it turned over slowly with a smoke ring coming out of exhaust once in awhile maybe a pop now an then. if ya put a light bulb in place of coil, it flashed o/k seeming to tell me that the points were o/k.

but then it ran.. i'm hooked for sho!

btilghman · Post by **btilghman** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 4:38 am

Turns out it was spark as Lavoy suggested. New points and condenser and some high voltage wires and it runs well enough now to tell that the carburetor is trashed. One step at a time. Then on to the charging system.

Thanks, all, for your help

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